Method for laminating ceramic green sheets

Abstract

In this method and apparatus, a ceramic green sheet, which may be formed with internal electrodes for forming laminated ceramic capacitors, is first punched out by a punch. After this punching operation, the ceramic green sheet held by the punch is conveyed to a transfer head by the punch and then conveyed to a stacking block by the transfer head. With these steps repeated, a plurality of ceramic green sheets are stacked on the stacking block. Each time a ceramic green sheet is stacked on the stacking block, a hot iron is applied to the uppermost one of the ceramic green sheets so as to pressure-weld it to the underlying ceramic green sheet.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of forming a stack of ceramic green sheets prior to a step of completely pressure-welding said stack, said stack-forming method comprising the steps of: (a) preparing a ceramic green sheet;   (b) punching said ceramic green sheet;   (c) transferring said ceramic green sheet to a stacking block; and   (d) applying heat to said ceramic green sheet after it is placed on said stacking block;   wherein steps (a)-(d) are repeated so as to stack a plurality of said ceramic green sheets on said stacking block, one on top of another; and   in step (d), localized heat is applied to each one of said ceramic green sheets as it is stacked on said stacking block, so as to provisionally adhere it locally, at the location where said heat is applied, to the underlying ceramic green sheet.   
     
     
       2. A method of forming a stack of ceramic green sheets, to be formed into a predetermined electrical element by subsequent steps including a step of completely pressure-welding said stack, said stack-forming method comprising the steps of: preparing a ceramic green sheet having a material film formed thereon in a predetermined pattern which is adapted to form said predetermined electrical element;   punching out a portion of said ceramic green sheet by a punch;   conveying said punched-out ceramic green sheet to a transfer head by said punch;   conveying said ceramic green sheet by said transfer head to a stacking block while holding it, and stacking a plurality of said ceramic green sheets on said stacking block; and   applying a hot iron to apply localized heat to the top surface of the uppermost one of said ceramic green sheets each time said ceramic green sheet is stacked on said stacking block, so as to provisionally pressure-weld it, without completely pressure-welding it, to the underlying ceramic green sheet and thereby reliably retain said ceramic green sheet on said stack.   
     
     
       3. A method as set forth in claim 2, wherein the step of preparing said ceramic green sheet includes the step of correcting the registration between said ceramic green sheet and said punch. 
     
     
       4. A method as set forth in claim 2, wherein in the step of punching out said ceramic green sheet, said punch is moved upward, while in the step of conveying said ceramic green sheet onto the stacking block and stacking it thereon, said transfer head is moved horizontally and then said stacking block is moved upward. 
     
     
       5. A method as set forth in claim 4, wherein in the step of conveying the ceramic green sheet to the stacking clock, said transfer head retains said ceramic green sheet by the action of vacuum suction.